Penguins Update: Deadline Doozies ‘n’ Duds

While we’re waiting to see if Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford pulls the trigger on any more deals, I thought it would be fun to glance back at the best (and worst) deadline trades in team history.

I’ll call ‘em doozies ‘n’ duds.

The best deadline deal of all-time? That’s easy. “The Trade.”

Given a mandate by Hartford owner Richard Gordon to move Ron Francis at the 1991 trade deadline “or else,” Whalers (and former Pens) GM Eddie Johnston hooked up with Penguins GM Craig Patrick on an epic six-player swap.

The black and gold received Francis—long-time captain of the Whalers and stellar two-way center—and backline bruisers Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings. Hartford got scoring center John Cullen, who’d enjoyed an outstanding season while filling in for an injured Mario Lemieux, and puck-moving defenseman Zarley Zalapski, along with minor-league forward Jeff Parker.

Citing the youth and skill of Cullen and Zalapski, many experts believed Hartford got the better of the trade. Time would prove them wrong.

“That was such a great trade for the Penguins that they probably should’ve given me a small (Stanley Cup) ring or something,” Johnston later joked.

The worst? Another no-brainer. Patrick’s 1996 deadline fiasco that sent promising winger Markus Naslund to Vancouver for power forward Alek Stojanov in a swap of former first-round picks. A deal so lopsided (Naslund would score 395 NHL goals; Stojanov two) it’s regarded by many as the worst hockey trade of all-time.

Enough rambling. Here are the lists. Subjective, of course, so feel free to chime in if you agree or disagree.

To qualify, trades need to have been made within a week of their respective deadline.

Doozies

1. March 4, 1991: Ron Francis, Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson from Hartford for John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski (GM: Craig Patrick)
2. March 4, 2009: Bill Guerin from the NY Islanders for a 3rd round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft (GM: Ray Shero)
3. February 27, 2016: Justin Schultz from Edmonton for a 3rd round pick in the 2016 Entry Draft (GM: Jim Rutherford)
4. February 21, 2011: James Neal and Matt Niskanen from Dallas for Alex Goligoski (GM: Ray Shero)
5. February 26, 2008: Pascal Dupuis and Marian Hossa from Atlanta for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 1st round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (GM: Ray Shero)
6. March 14, 2000: Janne Laukkanen and Ron Tugnutt from Ottawa for Tom Barrasso (GM: Craig Patrick)
7. March 2, 2015: Ian Cole from St. Louis for Robert Bortuzzo and a 7th round pick in the 2016 Entry Draft (GM: Jim Rutherford)
8. April 3, 2013: Jussi Jokinen from Carolina for future considerations (GM: Ray Shero)
9. March 13, 2000: Bob Boughner from Nashville for Pavel Skrbek (GM: Craig Patrick)
10. March 5, 1984: 1st round pick in the 1984 Entry Draft and future considerations (Moe Mantha) from Winnipeg for Randy Carlyle (GM: Eddie Johnston)

Duds

1. March 20, 1996: Alek Stojanov from Vancouver for Markus Naslund (GM: Craig Patrick)
2. March 10, 1992: Bryan Fogarty from Quebec for Scott Young (GM: Craig Patrick)
3. March 25, 2013: Douglas Murray from San Jose for a 2nd round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft and a 2nd round pick in the 2014 Entry Draft (GM: Ray Shero)
4. March 4, 1972: Eddie Shack from Buffalo for Rene Robert (GM: Jack Riley)
5. March 18, 1997: Ed Olczyk from Los Angeles for Glen Murray (GM: Craig Patrick)
6. March 2, 2010: Alexei Ponikarvosky from Toronto for Luca Caputi and Martin Skoula (GM: Ray Shero)
7. March 11, 1986: Ron Duguay from Detroit for Doug Shedden (GM: Eddie Johnston)
8. April 7, 1995: Troy Murray and Norm Maciver from Ottawa for Martin Straka (GM: Craig Patrick)
9. Feb. 24, 2011: Alexei Kovalev from Ottawa for a conditional pick (GM: Ray Shero)
10. March 28, 2013: Jarome Iginla from Calgary for Kenny Agostino, Ben Hanowski and a 1st round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft (GM: Ray Shero)

Honorable Mention

March 12, 2001: Bobby Dollas and Johan Hedberg from San Jose for Jeff Norton (GM: Craig Patrick)

Dishonorable Mention

March 11, 2013: Ramzi Abid, Dan Focht and Guillaume Lefebvre from Phoenix for Jan Hrdina and Francois Leroux (GM: Craig Patrick)